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The INDEPENDENT, August 3, 2006
The
INDEPENDENT
Published on the first and third Thursdays of each month by
The Independent, LLC, 725 Bridge St., Vernonia, OR 97064.
Phone/Fax: 503-429-9410.
Publisher Clark McGaugh, clark@the-independent.net
Editor Rebecca McGaugh, rebecca@the-independent.net
Assoc. Editor Noni Andersen, noni@the-independent.net
Opinion
Enjoy the 50th Jamboree
From The Independent’s 1986 Jamboree paper:
When International Paper closed the Vernonia mill
for the last time, 29 years ago, the community’s re-
sponse was not despair, it gave rise to the first Friend-
ship Jamboree, a positive, almost defiant collective
statement. The 30th is no less so.
As chairman of this 30th Friendship Jamboree, I
speak for the many volunteers who have worked long
and hard to prepare a festival that visitors and old
friends will enjoy. On behalf of the community, I invite
you to Vernonia to share these days of celebration with
us.
While the logging show remains the centerpiece of
the Jamboree, it is supported by a host of other delight-
ful and entertaining activities for young and old. So
come for a visit; make new and renew old friendships.
You’ll be glad you did, I am sure.
Tony Hyde, Chairman
Jamboree Committee
Although Jamboree Committee members change
and this is the 50th Jamboree, not the 30th, the above
statements still hold true. The 50th is no less so.
Once again, it happened
It happens every day on Timber Road, Hwy. 47 (both
north and south), Scappoose/Vernonia Hwy., Apiary,
etc., drivers cut corners and not always where they can
see if anybody is coming from the other direction. Is
there anybody out there who doesn’t know a story of
someone crossing the line and wrecking their vehicle
and/or someone elses? Evidence of this type of acci-
dent can be seen in the photo on Page 1 of this paper.
So, why does it keep happening? Is it to save time?
If you go 55 miles an hour from Vernonia to Staley’s
Junction, a trip of 15 miles, it takes 16-1/2 minutes. If
you go 70 miles an hour, same distance, it takes 13-1/2
minutes. WHOOPEE, you can save three minutes by
speeding and cutting corners — if you make it to the
end of the 15 miles without losing control and flying off
the road or hitting another vehicle.
Enjoy the 50th Vernonia Friendship Jamboree, Au-
gust 4–6, drive to and from Vernonia in a sober, safe
manner so The Independent doesn’t have to print your
obituary in the next issue. We want you to come back
for the 51st Vernonia Friendship Jamboree in 2007.
Ike Says…
By Dale Webb, member
Izaak Walton League, Nehalem Valley Chapter
It’s Jamboree time
again! Make sure you get
the kids down to the Fish-
ing Derby this year. As al-
ways, there will be great
prizes and who knows, the
kids might even catch
some fish. Registration is
free and starts at 4:00 p.m.,
fishing starts at 5:00 and
ends at 6:00. Donations will gladly be accepted to-
wards next year’s prizes or the Izaak Walton
League Scholarship fund.
If you are new to Vernonia, take a look around,
it is some pretty country around here. Yes, there
is a lot of logging, but that also makes for a lot of
wildlife habitat. We have Cutthroat trout, Chinook
and Coho salmon and winter Steelhead in our
streams. Vernonia Lake has trout, bass, crappie,
bluegills, perch and catfish. Birds of prey include
Bald Eagles and Osprey. Great Blue Herons are
a common sight, as are a great variety of ducks.
Vernonia is only an a hour away from the
mighty Columbia River, the ocean at Seaside, or
an hour-and-a-half from the sand dunes near
Tillamook. A couple of hours will get you into the
Cascade Mountains. In five hours you are in the
high desert and a few more hours to the Blue
Mountains of Eastern Oregon.
Yes, Vernonia is wet in the winters, but not near
as wet as the coast or as windy. We are just high
enough to get teased with snow, and in rare in-
stances a foot or two. The local rivers provide en-
tertainment for boaters in the winter and cool
places to swim in the hot summer months. Oh yes,
even when it is hot, the nights usually cool off
about 10 degrees cooler than Portland.
Yes, Vernonia is a nice town to live in, close
enough to the big city, if that is what you desire,
and far enough away that you can hear the owls
and coyotes at night without the buzz of cars on a
highway. Vernonia’s people are hard workers, who
cherish quiet times as well a beer with friends. We
have a lot of people who work in the hi-tech field
and the low-tech loggers who you will see on the
streets in their rigging pants, hickory shirts, sus-
penders and even a hard hat at times. Vernonians
are proud people, people who make things with
their hands as well as their minds.
Bow season is right around the corner and,
again, it looks like fire closures are going to ham-
per access onto the nearby timberlands. Please
respect private landowners’ wishes; I know it is
frustrating, but it is the right thing to do. Horn
growth should be exceptional this year, since for-
age conditions have been excellent, and this will
relate to good body conditioning. Bear season
starts August 1st and I plan on making a trip east
to chase them along with cougars and coyotes.
Hmm…calling in a bear or cougar, now that could
be interesting!
Please be safe this Jamboree, have fun and en-
joy our great outdoors.
Izaak Walton League, Nehalem Valley
Chapter meets monthly on the 3rd Thursday
at 7:00 p.m. Call 503-429-7193 for location.